3 Reasons You Can Experience Chronic Pain After Surgery

The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) reports that about one in 10 people (10%) who have surgery experience chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) afterward. Furthermore, one in 100 people (1%) experience severe CPSP.
So, what should you do if you’re experiencing chronic post-surgery pain? 

Meet with our pain management experts at Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio in San Antonio and Live Oak, Texas. Sergio Alvarado, MD, and our team evaluate the underlying cause of your symptoms and create a personalized treatment plan to help you attain long-lasting relief. 

Here’s what you should know. 

Common reasons for chronic pain after surgery 

While you can expect some discomfort after surgery, you don’t want to feel ongoing pain weeks or months later. If you do, our pain management team can assess the origins of your pain and create a treatment plan to help you find relief. 

The three most common reasons for lasting pain after surgery are: 

1. Scarring 

Some amount of scar tissue is natural after surgery, but sometimes, excessive scarring can cause irritation, nerve damage, and even nerve scarring. These adhesions can bind separate pieces of tissue together and feel tight and uncomfortable, or lead to other complications. 

2. Tissue damage 

Thoracic and abdominal surgeries are two types of surgery that can put you at a higher risk of tissue damage. These surgeries require your surgeon to make sizable incisions through your skin and muscles. Depending on the extent of the tissue damage and your body’s own healing, pain may linger for weeks, months, or longer.
3. Nerve damage 

Your nerves are your body’s communication and sensation channels. From the tips of your toes to the top of your head, they serve as your body’s Wi-Fi system, with messages that flow freely. 

But this neural communication system can break down if your nerves are inadvertently damaged or compressed by a surgical procedure. This can cause you to experience persistent burning, numbness, tingling, or prickly sensations in your body. 

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery 

Minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopy, requires much smaller incisions, which means less chance of tissue damage and a shorter recovery time. Patients who undergo these types of surgeries are also far less likely to experience chronic post-surgery pain. 

Addressing chronic pain after surgery 

If you’re experiencing lasting pain after surgery, our pain management team at Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio can help. We may recommend: 

• Anti-inflammatory steroid injections 
• Adhesion lysis to treat scar tissue adhesions
• Physical therapy and/or massage therapy 
• Ketamine infusion therapy for pain management 
• Neuromodulation (spinal cord stimulation) 
• Radiofrequency ablation for severe cases

If you’ve had surgery and still feel pain following your recovery, it’s likely because of scarring, tissue damage, or nerve damage. Luckily, you don’t have to live with chronic post-surgery pain — we can help you get to the bottom of the problem and provide targeted relief.  

Call or click online today to schedule an appointment at your nearest Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio office in Live Oak or San Antonio, Texas.